Abstract
A chronicle of British history between 1959 and 1964 which confined itself to the world of politics would not only fail to take account of the diverse factors that influence men’s votes. It would also neglect the profound sea-change in articulate opinion which occurred during these years. The mood of buoyant self-satisfaction which had characterised Britain during the fifties suddenly, it seemed, gave way to a mood of self-doubt and angry introspection. John Osborne’s had been a lonely voice in the fifties:
‘Don’t clap too hard, we’re all in a very old building. Yes, very old. Old. What about that? (Pointing to Britannia.) What about her, eh — Madam with the helmet on? I reckon she’s sagging a bit, if you ask me.’
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Notes
See Christopher Driver, The Disarmers, a Study in Protest, Hodder and Stoughton, 1964.
B. Crick, Reform of Parliament, Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1964, pp. 181–2;
Andrew Hill and Anthony Whichelow, What’s Wrong with Parliament?, Penguin, 1964;
B. Chapman, British Government Observed, George Allen and Unwin, 1963, pp. 23–4.
J. Vaizey, Education for Tomorrow, Penguin, 1962, p. 10;
E. Wigham, What’s Wrong with the Unions?, Penguin, 1961, p. 234;
R. Malik, What’s Wrong with British Industry?, Penguin, 1964, pp. 9–11, 128. Cf.
Nicholas Davenport, The Split Society, Gollancz, 1964.
C. A. R. Crosland, The Conservative Enemy, Jonathan Cape, 1962, p. 127;
T. Raison, Why Conservative?, Penguin, 1964, pp. 139–40;
A. Koestler, ed., Suicide of a Nation?, Secker and Warburg, 1963, p. 14.
B. Chapman, British Government Observed, p. 9; A. Sampson, Anatomy of Britain, Hodder and Stoughton, 1962, p. xiii; Dr. Bowden quoted in
Bryan Magee, The New Radicalism, Secker and Warburg, 1962, p. 179;
J. Mander, Great Britain or Little England?, Secker and Warburg, 1963, pp. 206–7.
J. Hennessy in Arthur Seldon ed., Rebirth of Britain, Pan Books, 1964, pp. 254–5; J. Mander, Great Britain or Little England?, p. 42; A. Sampson, Anatomy of Britain, p. 629; B. Chapman, British Government Observed, pp. 22 et seq.
For a discussion of this point, see Geoffrey Moorhouse, The Other England, Penguin, 1964, Chapter 2.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Copyright information
© 1965 D. E. Butler and Anthony King
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Butler, D.E., King, A. (1965). Social Conditions and the Climate of Opinion. In: The British General Election of 1964. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-81741-2_3
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-81741-2_3
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-349-81743-6
Online ISBN: 978-1-349-81741-2
eBook Packages: Palgrave History CollectionHistory (R0)